The following grantees were awarded a Future Leaders of Watersheds (FLOW) grant for January through July of 2009 by the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service through a Learn and Serve America grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The organizations focused on engaging youth in their community to improve watershed health. The Commission awarded $233,728 for this grant period.

Community Lutheran Partners, Inc.
Boone County
"LYO in the FLOW" will take Lutheran youth to several Boone County communities and engage them in service projects, panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and reflection activities. Students will learn about point source pollution, water cycles, and cistern systems. The project will build partnerships with the local school system and three community groups.

Fayette County Urban Renewal Authority (URA)
Fayette County
Wolf Creek Park is a 1,000 acre multi-use economic development project of the Fayette County URA, which will feature residential and commercial components in a natural setting. During its early development, the stream and surrounding vegetation was damaged. Through Project FLOW, Fayette County URA will involve students in a service-learning project that will help to restore the stream and reparian habitats, as well as provide a public-access trail enhanced by foot-bridges, a small pond and interpretive signage.

Friends of Blackwater
Tucker County
The Tucker County Watershed Appreciation Project brings 20 youth from Tucker County High School Theater Company to collect oral histories about their rivers, learn about and organize watershed service projects and put on a drama about that river.

Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC)
Monongalia and Preston counties
Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC) will team up with several community partners and hire a Project Coordinator to oversee the revitalization of the Sabraton Greenspace area by installing three youth-made public art pieces, informative signage, outdoor classroom, rain garden and solar lighting. Students will learn how environmental-themed public art can serve as a creative approach to community education. All participants will gain new or build on existing understanding of watershed health and its connection to healthy communities.

Girl Scouts of the Black Diamond Council
Majority of West Virginia counties
The FLOW project will integrate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience framework with existing Girl Scout Water Drop Patch activities to guide the service-learning and academic-based objectives. The Water Drop project will implement activities that raise awareness about watershed protection and help to develop the next generation of environmentally-liberate leaders.

Mountain Resource, Conservation and Development and Indian Creek Watershed Association
Monroe County
The Monroe FLOW project consists of two components: the revision and field testing of a "Let's Get Wet" 4-H watershed project book; and a six-week summer water camp for middle school age youth. Also, the youth will learn about the role of the Monroe County Planning Commission and will present their water quality data and recommendations.

Step by Step
Kanawha and Lincoln counties
This project will engage at least 50 youth at four county sites in weekly activities during after-school programs in Lincoln and Kanawha counties. Activities will include water-quality testing, watershed service projects, a global water awareness partnership with an African non-profit, and involvement in the Kanawha Valley Sustainability Fair.

WVU Research Corporation
Monongalia County
This project brings together WVU hydrogeologists, the West Run Watershed Association, and Morgantown Learning Academy (MLA) to educate teachers and students about stream ecology and health. West Run is severely impaired by acid mine drainage. The FLOW project will fund a teacher workshop and student summer camp that will set up a permanent stream monitoring and weather station.

Wyoming County 4-H Leaders Association
Wyoming County
The Wyoming County 4-H Leaders Association provides leadership opportunities to disadvantaged youth across Wyoming County. 4-H Clubs are interested in expanding their programming by partnering with the Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association to utilize Project WEB and JMG Operation Water, preparing youth with skills necessary to become engaged in addressing local watershed issues.

YMCA Camp Horseshoe
Tucker County
Two week-long camps will provide grantee's youth an opportunity to participate in a summer leadership camp. Youth will increase their capacity through watershed projects and education that focuses on teambuilding, civic engagement and fun.